Collapsible handrail



Feb. 17, 1959 R. R. MCCORMICK 2,873,904

COLLAPSIBLE HANDRAIL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1958 INVENTOR. 160M440 A. He Galen/ck Feb.17, 1959 Filed Feb. 25, 1958 R. R. McoRM1cK 2,873,904

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United States Patent 2,873,904 COLLAPSIBLE HANDRAIL Ronald R. McCormick, Dallas, Tex. Application February 25, 1958, Serial No. 717,535 7 Claims. (Cl. 22867) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the United States Government for governmental purposes without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a collapsible handrail and par-V .articles into the vehicles the handrails have proven to be of considerable annoyanceso that it is customa y to provide stairs both with and without handrails, v

In the construction according to the present invention a handrail is mounted in and preferably constructed as part of the stairs and arranged to be extended into normal position for use as a handrail or stored within the stair structure to provide a clear space for the handling of articles on the stairs.

It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide an improved handrail. 7

It is still another object of the invention to provide a collapsible handrail substantially for storing in a stair structure. i

It is a further object of the invention to provide a stairs having a handrail which may be collaped to decrease the storage space of the stairs. g

It is afurther object of the invention to provide an extensible handrail having reinforcement at the normally in conjunction with the accompanying drawingsin which:

Fig.1 is a side elevation of a portable stair embodying the collapsible handrail according to the invention:

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the stair with the handrail in extended position;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional elevation taken substantially on the plane indicated by the section line 33 and showing themanner of anchoring the handrail in extended position;

-Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 with parts broken away and in section showing the handrail in retracted stored position;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the extensible handrail taken substantially on'the plane indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of an apertured stop member;

Fig. 7 is a similar view of an opposed stop member;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of an anchor member;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the anchor member shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a pivot pin for securing the rail standard to the anchor member;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged top plan view of a locking'socket member; i

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of'the socket member;

' tudinally extending slot 68- adjacent the lower end there- Fig. 13 is an enlarged plan view of a friction fastening member; and

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the fastening member.

In a construction according to the invention stair horses 20 and 22 are constructed ,of top and bottom tubular rails 24 and 26 spaced by tubular spacers 28. The side rails 24 and 26 are preferably angulated to provide ground engaging portions 30 and stop portions 32. The horses 20 and 22 are maintained in spaced relation by tubular spacers 32 and 34 on which are mounted suitable tread plates 36.

The handrail structure comprises enlarged tubular housing members 40 and 42 preferably placed adjacent the opposite ends of the stairs and replacing a pair of the tubular spacing members 32. The tubular housing members 40 and 42 extend through the top rails 24 of the horses 20 and 22 to provide oppositely exposed openings to the interior of the tubular members 40 and 42. Substantially solid stop plates 44 and 46 are placed on the ends of the tubular housing members 40 and 42 extending through the horse 22 and the plates 44 and 46 are preferably integrally connected to the horse 22. Stop members 48 and 50 are applied to the ends of the housing members 40 and 42 extending through the horse 20 and also are preferably rigidly secured to horse 20. The stop members 48 and 50 are provided with apertures 52' which provide communication with the'interior of the housing members 40 and 42 with the apertures 52 being of smaller diameter than the internal diameter of the housing members 40 and 42. An anchor member 54 is slidably received in each of the housing members 40 and 42. The anchor member 54 has a flange 55 which will not pass through the aperture 52 but which is freely slidable within the housing member 40 or 42. Each of the anchors 54 is provided with an extending car 56 which is of a dimension to pass through the aperture 52 so that it may extend outwardly-past the stop plates 48 and 50. The ear 56'is provided with an aperture 58 for receiving a pivot pin 60 which may be secured in the aperture 58 by means of a suitable set screw 62. Rail'standards 64 and'66 are each provided with a longiof and adapted to receive the cars 56. Also, the lower ends of the standards 64 and 66 are provided withlongi tudinally extending apertures 70 arranged substantially parallel to the slot 68 and positioned transversely of the standard with respect to the slot .68 and adapted to slidably and pivotally engage the pivot pin 60.

A tubular handrail 72 is rigidly secured on the topends of the standards 64 and -66 and, the handrail is rigidified by means of a socket 74 constructed as a substantially U-shaped member 76 having flanges 78 for rigid con-' nection to the plates 48 and 50. These sockets 74 are mounted on the plates 48 and 50 immediately below the apertures 52 so that the standards 64 and 66 may be extended into the sockets because of the elongated apertures 70 engaging the pivot pins 60.

In order to extend the handrail 72 into the vicinity of the side of the vehicle an extension member 80, preferably tubular in construction, is telescopically received in the handrail 72 and may be extended therefrom to provide a substantial continuation thereof. In order to retain the 7 preferably provided with an aperture 92 so that the ex-. 7

tension may be secured in retracted relation within the handrail 72. The chain 94 is preferably secured to the pin 81 and to the handrail 72 to prevent loss of the fastening pin 81.

In order to prevent bending of the extension member adjacent to its point-of emergence fromthe handrail 72 a reinforcing member 96 is secured Within the extension 80 and extending a substantial distance each way from the point of emergence of the extension 86 from the rail 72 when the extension 86 is in the extended position.

In order to store the handrail 72 it is necessary to lift the standards 64 and 66 to disengage the lower ends from the sockets 74 so that the standards may be pivoted about the pivot pin 66 after which the standards 64 and 66 may be received in the housing 40 and 42.

For purposes of exemplification a preferredembodiment of the invention has been shown and described according to the best present understanding thereof. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the construction and arrangements of the parts thereof without departing from the true spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A boarding stairway comprising a pair of spaced apart tubular horses, tubular spacers secured between said horses, treads mounted on said spacers, anchor members slidably received in a pair of said spaced apart tubular spacers, stop plates secured to one of said horses and covering the ends of said tubular spacers receiving said anchor members, said stop plates having apertures communicating with the interior of said spacers, said apertures retaining said anchors in said tubular spacers, an ear on each of said anchors, said ears being of a size to extend through said apertures, a pivot pin in each of said ears, tubular standards, means on one end of each of said standards for slidably and pivotally connecting said standards to said pins, said standards being of a size capable of passing through said apertures, sockets on said stop plates adapted to receive the said ends of said standards, a handrail secured on said standards.

2. A boarding stairway comprising a pair of spaced apart tubular horses, tubular spacers secured between said horses, treads mounted on said spacers, anchor members slidably received in a pair of said spaced apart tubular spacers, stop plates secured to one of said horses and covering the ends of said tubular spacers receiving said anchor members, said stop plates having apertures communicating with the interior of said spacers, said apertures retaining said anchors in said tubular spacers, an car on each of said anchors, said ears being of a size to extend through said apertures, a pivot pin in each of said ears, tubular standards, means on one end of each of said standards for slidably and pivotally connecting said standards to said pins, said standards being of a size capable of passing through said apertures, sockets on said top plates adapted to receive the said ends of said standards, a handrail secured on said standards, an extension member telescopingly received in said handrail and locking means for securing said extension member in fixed relation to said handrail.

3. In a portable stairs having longitudinally extending horses with spaced apart tubular spacers extending between the horses and tread members mounted on the tubular spacers, a collapsible handrail comprising a pair of anchor members slidably received in a pair of spaced apart tubular spacers, stop plates mounted on said horses and covering the ends of said pair of spaced apart tubular spacers, the stop plates on one of said horses having apertures communicating with the interior of said pair of tubular spacers, said stop plates retaining said anchor members in said tubular spacers, an car on each of said anchors, said ears being of a size to extend through said apertures, a pair of standards, one end of each of said standards having a longitudinally extending slot at one end for receiving said ears, said standards having an elongated longitudinally extending aperture adjacent the end having said slots, said longitudinally extending apertures being positioned transversely relative to said slots, a pivot pin fixed in each of said ears and being slidably received in the respective longitudinally extending apertures, a socket on said stop plate adjacent to each of said apertures for receiving the said ends of said standards and a rail member fixed on the other ends of said standards.

4. For use with a stairs having longitudinally extending horses, a collapsible handrail assembly comprising a pair of tubular members adapted for mounting in parallel relation transversely of said stairs, an anchor slidably received in each of said tubular members, stop meansv retaining said anchors in said tubular members, said stop means having apertures communicating with the interior of said tubular members, an ear on each of said anchors, said ears being extensible through said apertures, a pair of standards, means pivotally and slidably mounting said standards on said ears, a socket mounted adjacent to each of said apertures and adapted to receive the pivoted ends of said standards and a rail member mounted on the other ends of said standards.

5. For use with a stairs having longitudinally extending horses, a collapsible handrail assembly comprising a pair of tubular members adapted for mounting in parallel relation transversely of said stairs, an anchor slidably received in each of said tubular members, stop means retaining said anchors in said tubular members, said stop means having apertures communicating with the interior of said tubular members, an ear on each of said members, said ears being extensible through said apertures, a pair of standards, means pivotally and slidably mounting said standards on said ears, a socket mounted adjacent to each of said apertures and adapted to receive the pivoted ends of said standards, a tubular rail member fixed on the other ends of said standards, a tubular extension member slidably received in said rail member, and a reinforcing member in said extension member encompassing the point of contact between said rail and said extension member when said extension member is in extended position.

6. For use with a stairs, a collapsible handrail assembly comprising a pair of tubular members adapted for mounting on said stairs transversely thereof, an anchor slidably received in each of said tubular members, stop means retaining said anchors in said tubular members, an extension member on each of said anchors, said extension members being extensible beyond the ends of said tubular members, a pair of standards, means pivotally and slidably mounting one end of each of said standards on said extension members, and a rail member mounted on the other ends of said standards.

7. For use with a stairs, a collapsible handrail assembly comprising a pair of tubular members adapted for mounting in spaced relation on said stairs, an anchor slidably received in each of said tubular members, stop means retaining said anchors in said tubular members, an extension member on each of said anchors, said extension members being extensible beyond the ends of saidtubular members, a pair of standards, means pivotally and slidably mounting one end of each of said standards on said extension members and a rail member mounted on the other ends of said standards, said standards being of a size capable of being stored in said tubular members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 396,886 Meisel Jan. 29, 1889 961,357 Ketelsen June 14, 1910 1,343,094 Sims June 8, 1920 1,993,437 Ferguson Mar. 5, 1935 2,010,588 Gooden Aug. 6, 1935 2,594,926 Hoffman Apr. 29, 1952 2,666,217 Stuart Jan. 19, 1954 2,827,016 Jenkins Mar. 18, 1958 

